Surrounded by controversy, UFC superstar Conor McGregor was also swarmed by fans as he and his family departed a New York City hotel. When asked what is next for him, McGregor replied, “Fighting. Looking to get a fight going.”
Perhaps someone forgot to inform McGregor of a few key facts about getting his next fight. Chief among them is that he already has a fight on tap.
Why is Conor McGregor looking for a fight when he already has one?
McGregor can currently be seen coaching opposite former Bellator champion Michael Chandler on The Ultimate Fighter, Season 31. The agreement heading into the show was that McGregor vs. Chandler would take place sometime after the show’s conclusion, which happens in August.
Another key element in McGregor’s quest to find a fight is that he needs to submit himself to the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency’s drug testing protocols before he can fight again. In fact, he needs to be in the USADA-administered UFC athlete testing pool for at least six months, with no adverse results, for at least six months prior to his Octagon return.
Conor McGregor has not faced USADA drug testing in 2023
Conor McGregor has been drug tested 54 times by USADA over the course of his UFC career. But the last time that he was tested, according to USADA test records, was 2021.
He withdrew from the testing pool following a damaging defeat to Dustin Poirier in July of 2021. McGregor broke his tibia in that fight and needed time for surgery, healing, and recovery.
McGregor is well into his recovery and has repeatedly posted videos of his fight training. However, he has yet to resubmit himself to the USADA administered drug testing protocols. At least, that’s what insiders are saying. USADA test records confirming that he has yet to be tested in 2023 seem to confirm that.
With the UFC’s final pay-per-view of 2023 expected to take place on Dec. 16, McGregor is out of time to meet the USADA requirements to make that date. So the soonest we can expect him to fight is early 2024.
There are many other distractions in McGregor’s world
As UFC president Dana White said, “The one thing you guys need to understand is this kid has so much money. It’s like Khabib now. These guys have got sh*tloads of money. And it’s hard to real these guys back in and get them fired up to get in and fight.”
McGregor has leveraged his fight world earning by investing in several different business opportunities. His Irish Whiskey brand Proper No. 12 has become a massive hit. He also recently launched a beer called Forged, an Irish stout.
His out of the ring antics have also continued to be a major issue for McGregor.
He attended Game 4 of the NBA Finals between the Miami Heat and eventual champions the Denver Nuggets. A halftime skit with the Heat mascot went awry, ending with the mascot visiting a local hospital for treatment.
A woman that McGregor was hanging out with at the NBA game accused him of raping her in a VIP bathroom at the arena. Numerous cell phone videos have appeared since the game, showing McGregor hanging out with her at various points throughout the night. One damning video shows McGregor leading her into the bathroom while security kept other people away from the bathroom.
So even though McGregor thanked fans for their support and said that he was looking to get a fight going, there are plenty of issues vying for the time that the Irishman could spend preparing for and promoting his next fight.
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Conor McGregor thanks fans and addresses his next move
(Video courtesy of TMZSports)
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